The conventional progressive wisdom is that the Trump Administration will be bad for cities and for transit users. But in recent decades, a unified Republican government has been better for public transit than a divided government.

An efficient and equitable transport system must be diverse to serve diverse travel demands. Planners need better tools to quantify and communicate the benefits of walking, cycling and public transit to sometimes skeptical decision makers.

GOP Moves to Rescind Stimulus Funding for High-Speed Rail

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Rescission Act was introduced by House Republicans to return $12 billion in unspent American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, aka stimulus funds, targeting the nation's largest public works project, CA HSR.

Mike Rosenberg at the San Jose Mercury News writes that GOP leaders have moved quickly to create a bill to recall the high-speed rail funding that has yet to be spent:

"The bill is sponsored by Congressman Jerry Lewis - Redlands, CA, ranking member of the powerful appropriations committee, to reduce the federal deficit, or so he states: "This represents a first down-payment in GOP efforts to eliminate wasteful government spending and reduce the deficit."

The rescission bill, if it passes the House, would have to also pass the U.S. Senate and the President's veto pen.

Contributor's note: While the HSRA has received almost $3 billion from the Fed. government, only the first allocation in Jan, 2010 was from ARRA. The Oct. 28 allocation of $715 million was a federal appropriation.

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